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Sunday, June 22, 2008

Beverage Facts, Coffee O Coffee...Am I Addicted?

Everyday millions of people are enjoying a cup of brewed coffee worldwide. What is so great about coffee? I wonder how it makes coffee one of the most popular drink in the world. It derived from of course, a coffee bean from the coffee plant. Unlike the popular belief that coffee originated from Brazil or other South American countries (just because Brazil is the largest producer doesn't mean that it is the origin birthplace of it), it was actually originated from Ethiopia (ring any bell?) Then it spread all over the world to eventually become one of the most famous beverage in the world. They come in many genus but the robusta and arabica are most famous.

Once grinded, roasted and prepared, coffee can turn into many presentation of forms and beverage. Brewed coffee may comes from simply 3-in-1 of your Nescafe, or something like a coffee maker or from a vending machine.

THE VARIETY OF COFFEES

Drip brewed coffee made directly from a coffee bean (grounded) mixed with hot water in a pot. Or else you can have percolated coffee or French-pressed coffee which similarly made to drip type using a percolator pot or French-press pot. These three types of coffee can be served hot or cold (as iced coffee), with or without additives (sugar, milk or cream). Commonly they are called black coffee, been the normal coffee we always drink.

French press pot

Percolator pot

Espresso is a special concentrated coffee beverage brewed by forcing very hot water under high pressure through coffee that has been ground to a consistency between extremely fine and powder, originated from Milan, Italy and produced at 0.8 to 1.8MPa of pressure. This resembles cooking a coffee bean in water at high temperature and high pressure - pressurized cooking!! It has a thicker consistency than drip coffee and higher amount of dissolved solids than drip coffee per relative volume, therfore forms a very concentrated coffee base. In Starbucks or Coffee Bean, espresso is measured in a unit called shots. One shot equivalent to 30ml or 1 ounce fluid of espresso base. Caffe Americano is the most basic form with two shots and hot water in a ratio of 1:1 where hot water is added to the espresso. Long black is the same but reverse as espresso is added into hot water. Due to its concentration, espresso spawns into many other coffee drinks as it is used as a base for them.

Double shot of espresso

1) Latte or caffe latte (milk coffee) of Italian origin, is a coffee drink made with hot milk, where a steamed milk becomes its primary ingredient. The Italian brewed the coffee on a Moka, then poured the coffee into a cup of heated milk. Elsewhere, latte is prepared by mixing 1/3 espresso and 2/3 steamed milk and a layer of foamed milk on top. Other countries called it in a different name. Cafe au lait (France), Cafe con lache (Spain), Cafe com leite (Portugal), Flat White (Australia and New Zealand) and Kawa biala (Poland) - but there are more or lest the same.

Moka pot

Latte

2) Cappuccino is another similar Italian origin of mixture of espresso, hot milk and foamed milk as latte but have lesser steamed milk than latte. It usually served on a porcelain cup because it retains heat while the foam also acts to keep the coffee hot for a longer period. While heating the milk, microfoam is introduced by "pumping" tiny air bubbles into the milk, producing greater foam and sweetness. The amount of milk added can be altered with more milk will produce lighter cappucino. Therefore, it is simplify that Cappuccino comprised of 1/3 of espresso, steamed milk and microfoam in it. Cappuccino is dubbed as the most difficult espresso-beverage to be properly made but also considered to be the most artistic of all.

Cappuccino

3) Macchiato literally means marked or stained. Espresso or caffee macchiatois another form of Italian beverage where it uses one shot of espresso, and the small amount of added milk was the "stain." However, later the "stain" came to refer to the foamed milk that was put on top to indicate the beverage has a little milk in it (usually about a teaspoon). Conversely, latte macchiato is the other form where it refers to the method of preparation, wherein the steamed "pure" white milk gets "stained" by the addition of espresso. It differs significantly from cafè latte in that only ½ (or less) of an espresso shot is being used.

4) Mocha or cafe mocha is like a latte (a variant), having 1/3 espresso and 2/3 steamed milk like a latte, but a portion of chocolate syrup is added to it. It doesn't have milk foam on top of it, but instead cinnamon, cocoa powder or whipped cream are added to it.

Mocha

5) Caffe corretto - an Italian coffee consists of a shot of espresso been corrected with liquor (usually brandy, grappa, or sambuca). In Spain, it is called carajillo. Other forms of liquor coffee may also include Irish Coffee (with Irish whiskey), Bailey's Coffee (with Irish Bailey cream), Jamaican Coffee (with rum) and others.

Irish coffee where shots of espresso added with Irish whiskey.

6) Cortado - a popular coffee in Spain, Portugal and South America resembling Italian caffe macchiato. Unlike the Italian, the cortado should always be served in a 150–200 ml (5–7 fl oz) glass and the milk should only be steamed; maybe a little foam settles to the top but the essence of the drink must be steamed milk. Milk to coffee ratio is 1:1 to 1:2.

7) Frappuccino is a trademark drink by Starbuck only, a term that forms from a blend of Greek frappe (milkshake) and cappuccino, the coffee drink with a milky topping. A whole list of available frappuccino is on this link.

8) Affogato - an Italian coffee-based dessert, where caramel sauce, chocolate or gelato (Italian ice creams) can be incorporated into a shot of espresso. Wow, a full detailed on COFFEE!! Am I addicted to COFFEE?? Anyway, I just have a breakfast set in The Coffee Bean, the one I ordered was "Food For Thought" with a brewed coffee. Love it. That seems to inspire me to suddenly talk about other types of coffee. Hope you enjoy it.ARTICLE IS WRITTEN WITH THE SOURCES FROM WIKIPEDIA AND THE COFFE BEAN AND THE LEAF'S MENU GUIDE NANG IT!!

im a coffee addict. and a sucker for starbucks coffee. i hate to admit that im addicted to it. but i dont think i am. cause i've been through a phase when i stopped drinking coffee and i was fine but coffee's too good to say no to.

To Susane:Oh thanks!! Haha, tat's y i din highlight abt the caffeine. Coffee is not totally evil. I oso immune to it oledi. No effect. Yesterday I had cappuccino but still feel sleepy oso.

To Sara:Wow, I'm kinda confuse, so ur a coffee lover as well but u been thru for stopping it? It is work? I'm a coffee lover, not addict, cuz i can still live without coffee after weeks. Oh, maybe next time I'll talk abt Tazo Tea then. I'm sure ur okay with tea!!